


mourning

by horrifyingvelociraptor



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Minor Character Death, Mother-Son Relationship, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-06-26 15:48:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15666339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/horrifyingvelociraptor/pseuds/horrifyingvelociraptor
Summary: "A now familiar sound filled her ears, shoulders tensing for the impact of another memory dragged out by the Quantum Abyss.Keith, young, maybe ten years old, sobbing over his father's grave…"Krolia discovers her lover's fate while travelling on a space whale through the quantum abyss, causing pain and heartache. Her son and a needy wolf pup are there when she needs them most.





	mourning

Krolia folds her arms across her chest, back pressed against the cave they'd found to shelter in. The fire is still lit, crackling like lashes of a whip as shadows dance across the stone. She gazes over at Keith's softly snoring form, curled up on his side with the wolf pup behind him, a maternal fondness flooding her chest.

 

Krolia had offered to take first watch - Keith was exhausted by the time it got dark, heavy eyelids barely able to stay open. Human genes, she mused.

 

Two and half hours ago, Keith had firmly told her to wake him up after two hours but as his mother, she'd let him sleep until she needed to.

 

A now familiar sound filled her ears, shoulders tensing for the impact of another memory dragged out by the Quantum Abyss.

 

_Keith, young, maybe ten years old, sobbing over his father's grave…_

 

Realisation hit and suddenly Krolia was the one sobbing, sweat beading on her forehead, tears of grief beginning to cascade down her cheeks, dripping onto her thighs. Her chest felt tight, mind screaming in denial. She shoves her fist against her mouth, sobs wracking her body, eyes squeezed shut.

 

_He can't be. He can't be. Not him. He can't be dead._

 

Keith stirs before she can regulate her breathing, sitting up and rubbing an eye with the heel of his hand. “Krolia?”

 

A blue flash beside Keith and the wolf pup whines, pushing his nose under her hand before clambering into her lap and licking her face. She strokes navy fur as the pup curls up on her thigh.

 

She tries to take a deep breath but all she can manage is a choked sob. Keith is quickly by her side, hand on her shoulder. His gentle eyes, _his father's eyes,_  meeting hers as he speaks to her softly as if trying not to spook a horse.

 

It's a few minutes of Keith's reassurance before she's calm enough to shakily ask “How did he die?”

 

“He was a firefighter. He went back into a burning house for someone and a beam collapsed on him. He didn't make it.” Keith says and his voice is so raw and pained that Krolia almost starts crying again. “He was selfless like that.”

 

She nods. He was the best man she'd ever known, kind and gentle and genuine.

 

“You remind of him.” She murmurs, caught off guard when Keith chuckles.

 

“He always said I was just like you.” Keith says with a small smile that isn't happy, it's something else that Krolia can't place.

 

Keith shifts until his back is against the wall, knee almost touching his mother's, the closeness comforting, the distance respectful and unfamiliar.

 

“How much did he tell you about me?” She asks out of curiosity.

 

“Not much. He sort of… deflected it any time I asked about you. Once I asked if my mom loved me and he said of course she did, more than anything, and I said then why did she leave-”

 

That heartbroken undertone is back in Keith's voice and Krolia wants to hold him tight for the rest of her life to make up for all the years she missed.

 

Keith continues “He'd just say that you had to and I'd understand when I was older then he'd change the subject.”

 

“I hope you don't resent me.” Krolia says quietly.

 

“I did.” Keith says and Krolia feels guilt like a blade in her gut. “I did, right up until today.”

 

They make eye contact again and Keith gives her another smile, a genuine one.

 

“I understand now.” He says gently. “You did what you had to do.”

 

“I always wondered what it would be like to see you again. Now look at you, all grown up.” Krolia brushes his dark bangs out of his eyes with a claw, Keith shutting his eyes and flinching back.

 

“Sorry.” Keith apologises, looking upset with himself.

 

Krolia shakes her head. “You've only just found out that I'm your mother, after feeling like I'd abandoned you your entire life. I understand that things like this aren't immediate.”

 

“That doesn't change that you're my mom.” Keith says quietly. “It's not you, it's the situation. We'll have time to bond.”

 

Krolia nods and they sit in a comfortable silence for a short while until the pup rolls over in Krolia’s lap and stretches his legs.

 

“I always wanted a dog,” Keith says, reaching over to rub the wolf's stomach. He starts at the sudden touch and then closes his eyes again. “We didn't have enough space.”

 

“Nothing but space now.” Krolia jokes and Keith grins at her with a chuckle, then settles back against the cave wall.

 

“He really loved you, you know,” he says softly. “He kept a box of your things, the knife, a red shirt. A photo, but he never let me see. Guess now I know why.”

 

Krolia nods silently. She remembers that photo - an arm around her shoulders, a kiss on her cheek and a quick flash. Her son kicking inside her belly. Her lover laughing softly against her neck. 

 

“You should get some rest.” Keith announces, stirring her from her thoughts as he picks up the knife and sets it on his thigh. Lookout gets the knife during their shift.

 

“You're sure?”

 

He nods, meeting her eye. “I can take over. Go, it's been a long day.”

 

“Wake me in two hours.” She tells him.

 

The wolf jumps off Krolia's lap as she stirs, and teleports with a flash over beside the fire. She stands and follows, laying down and shifting until she's comfortable.

 

“Goodnight Keith.” Krolia calls as the pup lays down beside her, his legs sprawling out.

 

“Goodnight.” Keith says because calling her 'Mom’ doesn't feel right just yet but using her first name feels too distant.

 

After a few minutes, he looks over, his mother's violet irises fixed on him. She looks embarrassed at being caught.

 

“Go to sleep.” Keith chuckles. “I'll still be here in two hours, or I'll make enough noise to wake you up if something drags me off.”

 

Krolia gives a soft laugh in response, and closes her eyes, sinking into often visited memories and eventually into dreams.


End file.
